Powder Coated DEEPA's 250R motor - PICS!!

[Dirtcrasher]

Mike and I finally nailed down a day to get this done. Prior to this we had removed every bearing and sandblasted the motor. We also tapped every hole, helicoiled a few threads and got every gasket surface imperfection removed. The prep is a ton of work but plays a very important role in the finish product.

So Mike came by and the 1st chore was to powerwash the sand and grit out of every nook and cranny in the engine. It was about 25 degrees outside, unfortunately we both forgot to get this done PRIOR to the cold setting in :rolleyes: Two hours later after ovens, heaters and hairdryers were put to work thawing out evry inch of my pressure washer, we had it all cleaned out and ready to roll.

Then we cleaned it all with acetone and preheated the parts in the oven. I've found that the best way to coat an engine is to assemble as much of it together as possible to keep it a uniform color and to prevent powder from entering the bearing and or seal surfaces. As long as your oven is big enough, it seems to work fantastic coating the whole shabang......

Here is the motor freshly coated with the dry powder. Hi temp satin black from Eastwood.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh220/Dirtcrasher/Powderapplied.jpg

another -

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh220/Dirtcrasher/Powderapplied2.jpg

20 minutes later after flowout -

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh220/Dirtcrasher/Freshoutoftheoven.jpg

Then the completed cooled powerplant -

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh220/Dirtcrasher/Rightsidecoated.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh220/Dirtcrasher/Topviewcoated.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh220/Dirtcrasher/leftbottomendcoated.jpg

With the top end on -

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh220/Dirtcrasher/Wholemotor.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh220/Dirtcrasher/Wholemotor2.jpg

We were both extremely pleased with the end results :w00t: It used about 12 ounces of powder or less, and with the tape and acetone it was probably about 25 to 30$.

Honda250sx - Jeff (the guy with the awesome Tri-Z) gets credit for pushing me into powder coating. No paint and reducers to mess with, no filters, easy cleanup and the powder doesn't go bad.

If ANY of you are interested in getting into powder coating, here is the deal:

Oven - Craigslist for free or very cheap. You modify the oven with racks or places to hook from. My oven has holes in it so I can coat an axle.

- I recommend an oven thermometer because the oven itself is always off, mine was off about 150 degrees from what the dial said :eek:

Gun - I suggest the Eastwood gun. It's a quality gun and about 80$ on sale.

Air compressor - Hopefully you have one already but you will need a water seperator.

Materials - You'll need an initial investment of silicone plugs, hooks, hi temp tape, acetone and some lint free rags. Plan on about 100$


DEEPA had been quoted about 175$ to 250$ to coat this engine. That amount is about what you need to get rolling in powder!!

I powder coat everything now :D I just need to build an oven large enough to fit frames and larger items.

[atcman77]

Very nice job on the cases DC! Those look great! :beer

[fabiodriven]

Crap, DC. That's pissa! I gotta get a setup now. I've got plenty of things that need to be powdercoated.

[DeePa]

worth every second of having to listen to steve all day....

seriously, i dont think ill ever paint a motor again. its too easy...

[edog]

Looks great!!!!

Maybe I will give that a shot sometime.:D

You missed a spot on the coolant neck.

[Dirtcrasher]

Yep, I noticed that myself. Didn't see it last night, but saw it in the pics today.

That was the last part of the day and we all fade in time. I can almost guarantee you that Mike won't care (Steve, the hose and thegas tank cover that!!) :lol:

But if he wants it done again, consider it done.... Piece of cake :D

That lower end was HARD as hell to get every nook and cranny, we coated the hell out of it!! When we were done, we couldn't find any dry spots on that sucka anywhere at all so we both walked away very happy......

The color difference from freshly coated powder cold to just out of the oven, then after cooling are all completely different shades.

[DeePa]

yeah thats where the spark plug was holding the motor up...

RUN IT

[honda250sx]

YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!

I have been patiently waiting for you guys to get this COOKED!

Looks PHENOMENAL...

You guys rattlecanning everything you can get your hands on need to try this!


Steve, I can remember you saying ah yeah Jeff I need to get going. I need to start coating, Yhatta Yhatta.

LOOK AT YOU NOW!

Way to go looks great. I have heard that if it can be ridden, DEEPA will run the chit outta it! No doubt you will be happy with its field result Mike!

[DeePa]

yeah i ran the rear shock damper shaft right out of the linkage mount haha...wondered why it was kinda shaky at the of the day last weekend...looks to be repairable though so thats good

[Vealmonkey]

That really turned out nice. I hope my Tiger 250 engine turns out that nice. Keep up the good work.

[honda250sx]

LMAO good thing you have one of the best trike mechanics in your backyard. I gotta get to mass this summer for some ridin and wrenchin with steve!

[keister]

What temperature and how long do you bake a motor?

[honda250sx]

400 degrees at 20 minutes...

[NINJA]

Nice one guys, looks great. I've been toying with the idea of getting into powder coating myself. Amazingly, there is nobody here in Moab that does it.

[Dirtcrasher]

Thanks very much for the compliments guys, it was a long time coming to finally get this done. I just CAN'T cut corners :D

And believe me, I'm NOT happy I missed a spot on that head :(

[honda250sx]

I'd redo it. HAHA...

[Buster Brown]

Wow I haven't done a set of cases yet, but that looks awesome! Here are some pics of my oven, a frame and other parts for restorations and other customers. I've done powder coating for only about 2 years now. It is so forgiving to work with and looks top rate with little effort, other than the sand or bead blasting chores. Try it out. It's very rewarding and satisfying!;) -Andy


http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp334/k10seibel/ebay12705001.jpg
my home built oven (4.5x4.5x6)
http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp334/k10seibel/ebay12705024.jpg
not cured yet
http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp334/k10seibel/ebay12705025.jpg
fully cured '85 ATC 250R frame
http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp334/k10seibel/ebay12705055.jpg
parts for customer
http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp334/k10seibel/ebay12705059.jpg
swinger for customer
http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp334/k10seibel/ebay12705177.jpg
Suzuki LT 500 Quadzilla parts for customer
http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp334/k10seibel/ebay12705178.jpg
HD pipe shields for customer

[Dirtcrasher]

That oven is so friggin big it takes meat hooks to get parts in there :lol:

Awesome setup you have there bud :beer

The work looks incredible!

[Rookie]

Man that looks great :drool: If I only had the room :wondering

[rugabugadouglas]

Buster Brown u make that oven or buy it?

[DeePa]

as far as redoing it. cant you just powder that area and rebake it?

[Dirtcrasher]

as far as redoing it. cant you just powder that area and rebake it?


Yep - Preheat it, shoot powder at it and be done with it.....

[jeffatc250r]

Very nice!

[Yamahondaman]

Hey Mike ... Radius the HighLighted Black Area's ... You Will Be GLAD You Did !

[Buster Brown]

Buster Brown u make that oven or buy it?

rugabugadouglas- I built the oven in my shop. It took about 13 months to complete and about 2k in materials. It could be done cheaper, but bigger is better...right???:wondering:lol: I'll post a few pics here, but do a search on the boards here or go to http://forum.caswellplating.com/oven-building-forum/ for more oven building info.

http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp334/k10seibel/ebay12705013.jpg

http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp334/k10seibel/ebay12705012.jpg

http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp334/k10seibel/ebay12705016.jpg

http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp334/k10seibel/ebay12705018.jpg

There's a zillion rivets and just as many sheet screw in that thing. All materials were purchased at Menard's, except the two GE ovens I gutted for the burner elements, interior light, and smaller window door. ;) Thanks for the compliments, guys! -Andy

[trainingwheeler]

damn buster you sacraficed the beer fridge for the powder oven ?!! Now thats dedication ! LMAO

[leevarnado]

what do you think about this kit,i want to get into powder coating,but dont know where to start.http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-POWDER-COATING-SYSTEM-NO-AIR-COMPRESOR-NEEDED-NEW_W0QQitemZ160292189868QQihZ006QQcategoryZ75576Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Buster Brown]

I've never used a cordless unit before, so I really can't say. Sears Craftsman had one similar to that. I took a look at it and passed. I think it uses a small built in fan to blow the powder insted of compressed air. I myself prefer compressed air. Harbor Freight has a cheap gun I've been using for almost two years. It's about $60 on sale and comes with two powder cups. Ive seen a better more adjustable gun from http://www.caswellplating.com for about $125. Maybe I'll upgrade to that one when my cheapy craps out. Good luck!;)

[honda250sx]

Buster what are you shootin with? I really want the new columbia coatings gun!!!

[Buster Brown]

My gun is the cheap Chicago Electric. $60 on sale at Harbor Freight. Don't drop it though! It would shatter. I would like to upgrade to an adjustable power output model, but just haven't dropped mine yet!:lol: Check this out. http://xiom-corp.com/ I have thought real hard about demoing one and expanding my own business. $8k for the Xiom1000, and $10k for the Scorpion 5000 model. The possibilities are endless. :drool: I called and set up an demo appointment last summer, near me through a dealer, but canceled. I figured I better have some success with the oven I built before diving in that deep.:wondering :confused: The Scorpion 5000 is a bit complex and nasty looking. They are f'n cool though!:naughty: You can see them in action on You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEqSPsiL_xE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTPSEZSO43M&NR=1

[edog]

My gun is the cheap Chicago Electric. $60 on sale at Harbor Freight. Don't drop it though! It would shatter. I would like to upgrade to an adjustable power output model, but just haven't dropped mine yet!:lol: Check this out. http://xiom-corp.com/ I have thought real hard about demoing one and expanding my own business. $8k for the Xiom1000, and $10k for the Scorpion 5000 model. The possibilities are endless. :drool: I called and set up an demo appointment last summer, near me through a dealer, but canceled. I figured I better have some success with the oven I built before diving in that deep.:wondering :confused: The Scorpion 5000 is a bit complex and nasty looking.They are f'n cool though!:naughty: You can see them in action on You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEqSPsiL_xE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTPSEZSO43M&NR=1

It's a frikin $5,000 flame thrower.:lol:

[Buster Brown]

Yes edog, but if you're careful you can powder coat a business card!:lol:

Honda250sx -Check this gun out at Caswell http://www.caswellplating.com/powder/hvpc.html It's not near as nice as the Hyper Smooth gun at Columbia coatings, but a hell of a lot cheaper and it has adjustable settings. I agree though, the Hyper Smooth is the ticket for the money. :beer http://store.columbiacoatings.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=HSCS-02&reference=/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi%3Fsearch%3Daction%26keywords%3Dall%26 searchstart%3D0%26template%3DPDGCommTemplates/HTN/SearchResult.html%26category%3DHSCS

[oscarmayer]

:drool: dude, I'm going to clean my garage and do my own coating too!!!! SWEETNESS!!!!!

TY sir for the info!!!

what temp do you recommend for cooking the power on?

[oscarmayer]

wow!! $800 clams! holy smokes! that's for liek a shop not a guy whom does thing son the side.

[Dirtcrasher]

Since were on the PC subject.....

Andy,do you clean your parts after blasting or just blow them off??

What bothers me is I've bought some powder that says "Blast only!! No liquids!!" which means blast, blow off and powder coat.

But, to me, we have oil in our skin and sometimes the part STILL has some oil or other foreign matter even after PC, so Acetone or Lacquer thinner always makes me feel that it's spotless and ready to coat.

I actually sandblast, then pressure wash it all to get any sand out, warm it in the oven to dry and then clean it with Acetone.

Then I preheat and shoot, preheating seems to help me get into nooks and crannies.

What are your thoughts?? and or preparation procedures??

Thanks for sharing in advance :beer:

[honda250sx]

If I'm doing anything that was in any fluid, I submerse in acetone. Bake in the oven @ 450 until it reaches constant temp. Remove and let it cool to room temp. I then submerse again and repeat process. It never fails.

[brapp]

i need to find someoen to pc my frame and allthe misc parts i have. i ahve 4 trikes i wanan rebuild and pceverything.

[honda250sx]

How far are you from Zelienople brapp? I can do just about everything but the frame and swinger.

[Buster Brown]

Since were on the PC subject.....

Andy,do you clean your parts after blasting or just blow them off??

What bothers me is I've bought some powder that says "Blast only!! No liquids!!" which means blast, blow off and powder coat.

But, to me, we have oil in our skin and sometimes the part STILL has some oil or other foreign matter even after PC, so Acetone or Lacquer thinner always makes me feel that it's spotless and ready to coat.

I actually sandblast, then pressure wash it all to get any sand out, warm it in the oven to dry and then clean it with Acetone.

Then I preheat and shoot, preheating seems to help me get into nooks and crannies.

What are your thoughts?? and or preparation procedures??

Thanks for sharing in advance :beer:

I do the same with Acetone and Lacquer as a precaution.

When you power wash after blasting, do you get any flash rust even with a quick reheat right away? I've done that too and got flash rust. I guess I'm doing something wrong. :confused:

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! :beer

[brrcuda]

pretty slick...... when's this rag gonna be done?

Looks factory fresh..:drool:

[brapp]

hey man your a bit far for me to do the little things its liek almost 300 milesi am up above scranton ish so its a ways away i may se ewhat i can do with a local guy ut he is kinda expensive.

[tri-Z ripper]

WOW GUYS that looks great!! any chance of getting my Z motor done?:eek: just moved to a new place so havent seen any posts in a while! glad to see everyone building up! i finally have a garage to work in so no more in and out of the basement! that 250R is gonna be sick deepa!

[Dirtcrasher]

I'll tell ya, I have NO INTENTIONS of doing any sidework UNLESS I get laid off.....

I'm sure I could cut the time in half, but I wouldn't feel good about it. I honestly can't treat anyone elses parts - (Esp. my good friends) - any less than I'd treat my own stuff. I'd be lucky to make 10$ an hour because I try to be so meticulous. And even then, mistakes can be and are eventually made.

However, if you bring me the parts - sandblasted and ready to go - Shooting and curing them is a piece of cake. I honestly rarely and don't like charging people for work, I prefer to swap favors, would you happen to have a sister with big hoots?? :lol: :D J/K........

The more prep you do yourself the more likely it will get done for a reasonable cost :beer:

[honda250sx]

Ripper. Ship em to me! What color? Pink??? I'll shoot em for ya!

[Tri-Z Pilot]

Thats quality work, I used to work at a powder coating business, but I only zinced the parts, never made it to the powder. I was surprised the prices they charged people, especially with all the burn-outs they had workin there. Chit was screwed up all the time. How do you get the parts to hold a negative charge? Does a kit come with the gun or something? Is been about 7 years since I've been in the pc business, and my memory may be a little fuzzy thanks to Anheuser Busch:beer

[tri-Z ripper]

Ripper. Ship em to me! What color? Pink??? I'll shoot em for ya!

You know if i had two of them and didnt like the yellow original color frame so much i would take you up on the offer to do my second frame pink!!! just to be an original! hell id rip the stuff out of it if i had a pink frame i ain't scared of no trike!! pink, green, red, yellow, black etc... you get the point! but thanks for the offer though!:beer :TrikesOwn

[Buster Brown]

Thats quality work, I used to work at a powder coating business, but I only zinced the parts, never made it to the powder. I was surprised the prices they charged people, especially with all the burn-outs they had workin there. Chit was screwed up all the time. How do you get the parts to hold a negative charge? Does a kit come with the gun or something? Is been about 7 years since I've been in the pc business, and my memory may be a little fuzzy thanks to Anheuser Busch:beer

The charge is delivered to the part to be coated via an electrical lead wire attached to the part (alligator clip). when you depress the foot switch pad, or on some guns a finger triggered switch, the part is electrically charged. You do actually have to be careful, as you can light yourself up with a shock if you get careless.;)

[honda250sx]

BB. Been shocked plenty of times. Damn it kills!

[Buster Brown]

BB. Been shocked plenty of times. Damn it kills!

Yep, me to! Wakes ya right up!:lol: :beer

[aldochina]

DC, where abouts in Mass are ya, I'm originally from pittsfield.